Signaling apparatus.



J. AT. USN-La. SIGNAUNG APPARATUS. APPLlc'ArloN msn MAY a. 1916.

.JOHN carisma, :orccnnvenaualoro- .SIGNALl-NG A?BAR.ATUS

:specification OffI-ettrs .latent- ,RatentedAvian-12,1918.

Y -ApplicationfledT/Iay 8, 1916. Serial N 0.1963121.

.To 'all whom-imag concern:

eBe it .known Lthatf, JOHN T. Lis'rnn, a citizen of 1the United States, .residing 4at fCleveland, in ythe county of S Cuyahoga Vand State of Ohio, haveinvented latcertainfnew .and useful 'Improvement :in `Signaling Apparatus, of `which the `following is Va full, clear, and eXact description.

This invention relates to an apparatus 1D adapted'lto be rused lon a moving-railroad 'traidor `similar transportation :medium for the purpose of functioning `as asignaling device at the ffront and -rear of tthe train in such a manner as to warn approaching trains of theypresence of the train carrying theapparatus. l

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a .viewv more or less diagrammatic showing in elevation a train of cars with the apparatus mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one of the signaling devices.

At the present time it is customary in operating railroad trains for the rear car to carry a light. This is usually a lantern which has a bulls-eye lens and the quantity of light emitted from the lantern is comparatively speaking small, so that unless the atmosphere is very clear the light can not be seen but for a comparatively short distance behind the train.

If, for any reason, a train is stopped, it is customary for the brakeman to run back on the track for a prescribed distance with a lantern with which he may signal an approaching train. This, however, involves the faithfulness of the brakeman and there is usually no check upon him nor any way of absolutely ascertaining that he station himself with his lantern at a sulicient distance behind the train so as to insure the proper and timely signaling of an approaching train. The numbers of collisions which have happened despite these precautions bear evidence of this fact.

At the front of the train it is not customary to have' any signaling light, although of course the headlight of the engine will in a measure fulfil this function.

However, none of the lights employed are suiciently strong to penetrate fog for any great distance or to be visible any extended distance from the train when atmospheric conditions are such as to tend to obscure extended vision,

- train. vthey Lmayubeunoved. The lights are. opera- Ilurthermore, the lanterns used Auponthe rear of a train are similar toother :lights :that 4,are used upon .signal itowers and in similar positions, so` that there is nothing 60 distinctive about kthe dight which .is 4carried Iupon-the rear end` of theitran.V

fllllieffundamental idea involved in this invention is to vplacela .high :powered light upon the .front yand the rear Vcar forming` a These "lights are mounted :so that tively connected in a suitable manner 'by .some means which .when operated `will cause abmovement vof both thefront and-the rear 70 flights. "Thismovement'will cause thebeams o'i :light from the `sources of' light .to move and travel over a very wide area. In the presentinst-ance'the lights attheend of the train are made to move in a path which is 75 the arc ofk a circle and preferably in vertical direction so that the beams of light will be projected normally straight forward, and

. when moved will be swung up so as to project the beams of light toward the sky.

In operating the lights they are continuf ously moved so that the beams of light from the sources of illumination will be continually moving up and down. This movement of the light beams will be visible for a great distance both from the front and rear of the train and will attract the attention of trainmen upon trains which may be approaching the train from which the signal was operated.

Referring to the drawing, 1 and 2A will represent respectively the rear and front cars of a train. At 3 and 4 there is generally represented sources of illumination. 5 represents a cord or cable which is attached to the sources of illumination for the purpose of moving them. This cord running through the cars in the same manner as the cable for operating the air signals upon trains, as at present employed.

It will be obvious that as the cable 5 is pulled downwardly the sources of illumina; tion 3 and 4l will be turned about their pivots as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, and when the cable 5 is released the sources of illumination will return to their normal position.

In Fig. 2 I have shown in a little more detail one of the sources of illumination. This might comprise a casing 6 which would contain a high powered light. The casing 6 will be suitably pivoted upon a standard 7 fastened upon the top of the car. The casing' will be provided with a stop 6 which, when engaging with the standard 7 holds the casing 6 in horizontal position, the casing being held in such position by a spring 9.

From the casing 6 there extends an arm S which is secured to the cable 5.

This last description is but suggestive and shows merely one form of carrying into effeet my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is:

l. A signaling apparatus for use upon railroad trains comprising a source of illumination upon the rear car of the train and a source of illumination upon the front car of the train, said sources oitl illumination being movably mounted, and means for simultaneously moving the sources of illumination.

. 2. A signaling apparatus for use upon railroad trains comprising a source oi" illumination mounted upon the first and the last car forming the train, each of said sources of illumination being mounted so that the direction of the beams of light emanating therefrom may be changed, and means whereby the said sources of illumination may be moved from Within the train.

3. A signaling apparatus for use upon railroad trains comprising a high-powered source of illumination mounted upon the front ear and the rear car of a train, said sources of illumination being movably mounted, and meanswvhereby said sources of illumination may be moved to change the direction of the beams of light emanating from said sources of illumination.

4. A signaling apparatus for use upon railroadtrains comprising a source of illumination upon the front and rear car of a train each oi' said sources of illumination being pivotally mounted, and means vvhereby the said Sources of illumination may be moved about their pivots.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto a'HiX my signature.

Jol-in fr. Lis'rnn.

Genies ai this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. G. 

